Browse All : Images by Alan B. Shepard, Jr. from May 5, 1961

Printer Friendly
1-16 of 16
     
     
Dr. Wernher von Braun and As …
Title Dr. Wernher von Braun and Astronaut Cooper
Full Description Dr. Wernher von Braun and Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper in the blockhouse during the recovery operation of MR-3 (Freedom 7) mission on May 5, 1961. The MR-3 mission, a 15-1/2 minutes sub-orbital test flight, put the first American, Astronaut Alan Shepard, in space.
Date 5/5/1961
NASA Center Marshall Space Flight Center
The Recovery of Freedom 7
Name of Image The Recovery of Freedom 7
Date of Image 1961-05-05
Full Description This photo depicts the recovery of the Freedom 7 (MR-3) capsule by a U.S. Marine helicopter. The MR-3 mission successfully placed the first American astronaut, Alan Shepard, in space for 15-1/2 minutes and returned safely to Earth on May 5, 1961.
The Redstone, Jupiter-C and …
Name of Image The Redstone, Jupiter-C and Mercury Redstone
Date of Image 1961-01-01
Full Description This is a comparison illustration of the Redstone, Jupiter-C, and Mercury Redstone launch vehicles. The Redstone ballistic missile was a high-accuracy, liquid-propelled, surface-to-surface missile. Originally developed as a nose cone re-entry test vehicle for the Jupiter intermediate range ballistic missile, the Jupiter-C was a modification of the Redstone missile and successfully launched the first American Satellite, Explorer-1, in orbit on January 31, 1958. The Mercury Redstone lifted off carrying the first American, astronaut Alan Shepard, in his Mercury spacecraft Freedom 7, on May 5, 1961.
Dr. von Braun and Astronaut …
Name of Image Dr. von Braun and Astronaut Cooper During MR-3 Recovery
Date of Image 1961-05-05
Full Description Photographed are Dr. von Braun and Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper in the blockhouse during the recovery operation of the MR-3 (Freedom 7) mission on May 5, 1961. The MR-3 mission, a 15-1/2-minute suborbital test flight, put the first American astronaut, Alan Shepard, in space.
Shepard With Freedom 7 Capsu …
Name of Image Shepard With Freedom 7 Capsule
Date of Image 1961-05-05
Full Description Alan B. Shepard, Jr., America's first astronaut, stands in front of the Freedom 7 spacecraft shortly after completion of the third flight of the Mercury-Redstone (MR-3) vehicle, May 5, 1961. During the 15-minute suborbital flight, the Freedom 7 Mercury spacecraft, launched atop a modified Redstone rocket developed by Dr. Wernher von Braun and the rocket team in Huntsville, Alabama, reached an altitude of 115 miles and traveled 302 miles downrange.
Shepard Awaits Liftoff
Name of Image Shepard Awaits Liftoff
Date of Image 1961-05-05
Full Description Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr. awaits liftoff in the Freedom 7 Mercury spacecraft on May 5, 1961. This third flight of the Mercury-Redstone (MR-3) vehicle, developed by D. Wernher von Braun and the rocket team in Huntsville, Alabama, was the first marned space mission for the United States. During the 15-minute suborbital flight, Shepard reached an altitude of 115 miles and traveled 302 miles downrange.
The Launch of Mercury-Redsto …
Name of Image The Launch of Mercury-Redstone
Date of Image 1961-05-05
Full Description The launch of the Mercury-Redstone (MR-3), Freedom 7. MR-3 placed the first American astronaut, Alan Shepard, in suborbit on May 5, 1961.
Astronaut Alan Shepard in Sp …
Name of Image Astronaut Alan Shepard in Space Suit
Date of Image 1961-01-01
Full Description Astronaut Alan Shepard fitted with space suit prior to the first marned suborbital flight. Freedom 7, carrying Astronaut Alan Shepard, boosted by the Mercury-Redstone launch vehicle, lifted off on May 5, 1961. Astronaut Shepard became the first American in space.
Astronaut Alan Shepard Under …
Name of Image Astronaut Alan Shepard Underwent a Physical Examination
Date of Image 1961-05-05
Full Description Astronaut Alan Shepard underwent a physical examination prior to the first marned suborbital flight. Freedom 7 carrying Astronaut Alan Shepard, boosted by the Mercury-Redstone launch vehicle, lifted off on May 5, 1961. Astronaut Shepard became the first American in space.
Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Pr …
Name of Image Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Prior to the First Marned Suborbital Flight
Date of Image 1961-05-05
Full Description Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr. during suiting for the first manned suborbital flight, MR-3 mission. The Freedom 7 spacecraft, carrying the first American, Astronaut Shepard and boosted by the Mercury-Redstone launch vehicle, lifted off on May 5, 1961.
The Celebration for Freedom …
Name of Image The Celebration for Freedom 7 at Huntsville, Alabama
Date of Image 1961-05-05
Full Description Dr. von Braun addresses a crowd celebrating in front of the Madison County Alabama Courthouse following the successful launch of Astronaut Alan Shepard (America's first astronaut in space) into space on a Mercury-Redstone Launch Vehicle, Freedom 7. Shepard's Mercury Spacecraft, was launched from Cape Canaveral. He reached a speed of 5200 mph. His flight lasted 15-1/2 minutes. May 5, 1961 (Photo: Courtesy of Huntsville/Madison County Public Library)
Shepard Flies Freedom 7
Title Shepard Flies Freedom 7
Explanation Forty years ago today (May 5, 1961 [ http://www.thespaceplace.com/history/mercury/ mercury03.html ]), at the dawn of the space age [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/sputnik/ index.html ], NASA controllers "lit the candle" and sent Alan Shepard arcing into space atop a Redstone rocket [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap980404.html ]. The picture shows the pressure-suited Shepard before launch in his cramped space capsule [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/diagrams/ mercury.html ] dubbed "Freedom 7" [ http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/images/pao/MR3/ 10073523.htm ]. Broadcast live to a global television audience, the flight of Freedom 7 [ http://www.nasm.edu/galleries/attm/nojs/rm.ey.f7.1.html ] - the first space flight by an American - followed less than a month after the first human venture into space by Soviet Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010414.html ]. Freedom 7's historic flight [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/40thmerc7/ intro.htm ] was suborbital, lasting only about 15 minutes, but during it Shepard demonstrated manual control of his capsule. Naval aviator [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/40thmerc7/ shepard.htm ] Shepard was chosen as one of the original seven Mercury Program [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4201/ toc.htm ] astronauts. He considered this first flight [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4201/ch11-4.htm ] the greatest challenge and actively sought the assignment. Shepard's career as an astronaut spanned a remarkable period in human achievement and in 1971 he walked on the moon [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/a14/ a14.crew.html ] as commander of the Apollo 14 mission. A true pioneer and intrepid explorer, Alan Shepard died in 1998 [ http://www.nasa.gov/shepard.html ] at age 74.
Mercury Astronauts and a Red …
Title Mercury Astronauts and a Redstone
Explanation Space suited project Mercury [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/history/mercury/mercury.html ] astronauts John H. Glenn [ http://politicsusa.com/PoliticsUSA/resources/almanac/ohs1.html.cgi ], Virgil I. Grissom [ http://repos.msfc.nasa.gov/history/mm/grisbio.html ], and Alan B. Shepard Jr. [ http://repos.msfc.nasa.gov/history/mm/shepbio.html ] (left to right) are pictured here posing in front of a Redstone rocket [ http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/pioneer.html ] in this 1961 NASA publicity photo. Project Mercury [ http://www.osf.hq.nasa.gov/mercury/ ] was the first U.S. program designed to put humans in space. It resulted in 6 manned flights using one-man capsules and Redstone and Atlas rockets. Shortly after the first U.S. manned flight on May 5, 1961, a suborbital flight piloted by Alan Shepard, President Kennedy announced the goal of a manned lunar landing by 1970. This goal was achieved by NASA's Apollo program [ http://bang.lanl.gov/solarsys/apo14.htm ] and Shepard himself walked on the moon as a member of the Apollo 14 [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap951209.html ] mission.
Alan B. Shepard Jr. 1923-199 …
Title Alan B. Shepard Jr. 1923-1998
Explanation On another Friday (May 5, 1961), at the dawn of the space age [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/sputnik/index.html ], NASA controllers "lit the candle" and sent Alan B. Shepard Jr. arcing into space atop a Redstone rocket [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap980404.html ]. The picture shows the pressure-suited Shepard before the launch in his cramped space capsule [ http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/images/pao/MERC_OV/10073402.htm ] dubbed "Freedom 7" [ http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/images/pao/MR3/10073523.htm ]. This historic flight [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/history/mercury/mr-3/mr-3.html ] - the first spaceflight by an American - made Shepard a national hero [ http://www.nasm.edu/GALLERIES/GAL114/SpaceRace/ ]. Born in East Derry, New Hampshire on November 18, 1923, Shepard graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1944 and went on to train and serve as a Naval Aviator. Chosen as one of the original seven Mercury Program [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4201/toc.htm ] astronauts, he considered this first flight [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4201/ch11-4.htm ] the greatest challenge and actively sought the assignment. Shepard's accomplishments in his career as an astronaut spanned a remarkable period in human achievement and in 1972 he walked on the moon [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/ ] as commander of the Apollo 14 mission. A true pioneer and intrepid explorer, Alan Shepard died Tuesday [ http://www.nasa.gov/shepard.html ] at age 74 after a lengthy illness.
Astronaut Alan Shepard is re …
Title Astronaut Alan Shepard is rescued by helicopter at end of MR-3 flight
Description Astronaut Alan B. Shepard is rescued by a U.S. Marine helicopter at the end of his sub-orbital Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) flight May 5, 1961 down range from the Florida eastern coast.
Date Taken 1988-05-05
Astronaut Alan Shepard is re …
Title Astronaut Alan Shepard is rescued by helicopter at end of MR-3 flight
Description Astronaut Alan B. Shepard is rescued by a U.S. Marine helicopter at the end of his sub-orbital Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) flight May 5, 1961 down range from the Florida eastern coast.
Date Taken 1988-05-05
1-16 of 16